Type-writing machine.



C. B. CORCORAN.

TYPE WRIUNG MACHINE. 'APPLICANQN man SEPLM. 191s.

1 ,243553 Patend Novn 13, 191?.

l INVENTOR @du/m lAT TOR "EY,

-marinier) STATES PATENT onirica.

CORNELIUS B. CORCORAN, OF YORK, N. Y., ASSGNOR TO UNDERWOOD 'I YZPE-A VRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Application led September 14, 1915.

To all ywhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS B. COR- connN, a citizen of the United States, residing in borough of Bronx, in the county of Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-lVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

T he present invention relates to cardholding devices for typewriting machines. More particularly, the invention relates to mechanism for setting the card-holder for the release of a card which has been typewritten, and for the reception of a card to be typewritten. The invention also relates to mechanism for determining the movement to be given the card-holder in positioning the card for Writing the first line at a selected place thereon.

rlthe invention is especially applicable to a card-holder of the character set forth in the patentto John @.hlcLaupghlimNo.1,070,279, dated August 12, 1913. The card-holder of that patent comprises a blade carried in a recess in the body of the platen, and shiftable therein by means of a rock-shaft, to which it is connected. The rock-shaft is also carried Within the platen, and has fixed thereto, beyond the end of the platen, a finger-piece or key by means of which it is rocked. `When the rock-shaft is turned in one direction, the blade is shifted to project a lip or jaw, on the outer edge thereof, beyond the face of the platen, so that a card may be inserted between the jaw and the platen; whereupon, in release of the key, a spring retracts the blade to cause the jaw to clamp the edge of the card against the face of the platen. lVith the card so clamped, the platen is turned to present the proper part thereof to the printing point of the machine. The card, when printed, is released by ai-ain shifting' the jaw outward; and, if no new card is inserted, the spring retracts Ithe blade until the jaw thereof is Hush With the face of the platen, so that the machine may then be used for ordinary correspondence. ln the patent referred to, the outward shift of the blade, for the release or reception of a card, is effected manually.

lt is an object of the present invention 'automatically lto effect the throvv of the vclamp to card-releasing and receiving position by mere rotation of the platen a suiiicient degree in line-space direction. F or Speecationof Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

Serial No. 50,559.

this purpose, in the preferred form of the invention, there is provided a detent, pin, or other device on the frame of the machine, in the path of the key which operates the clamp; so that, upon sutlicient rotation of the platen, the key strikes the device on the frame, and is actuated thereby to throw the clamp as if operated manually. Reverse movement of the platen removes the key from its actuating` device and permits retraction of the clamp to card-holding position, or to the position in Which it lies when the machine is used for ordinary correspondence. The clamp is preferably operable manually as Well as automatically.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for automatically arresting the platen after it has been rotated with a newly inserted card a sufficient distance to bring' a given place on the card to theprinting point for the printing of the first line. It is also an object of the invention to make this movement of the platen With the card, variable; so that, according to the length of card, or other conditions, the distance from the top of the card to the first line of Writing thereon may be varied at will. In the preferred form of the invention, after the card to be typewritten has been clamped, as aforesaid, the platen is turned in counter line-feed directionuntil a stop on the end of the platen strikes a pin set into a plate on the platen frame. This pin arrests the platen With the card in position for the printing of the first line thereon. In order that the reverse throw of the platen and resultant position of the first line of printing may be varied, the position of the pin on its support is variable; and, to this end, the pin may be set into any one of a series of holes in the pin support, the holes being preferably arranged in the arc of a circle concentric with the platen axis.

Another object of the invention is tov have the automatic clamp-operating and card-positioninp, devices of such nature and mounting' that the same may form a permanent part of the typewriting machine, and be effective, or not, according to Whether cards are to be Written or the machine is to be used for ordinary purposes g. and it is a feature of the invention that the machine may at any time bev quickly setby the operator for one or the other of these usesagvithout the use of tools, or other inconvenience.

To silence the card-holder, and to permit of indeiinite movement of the platen in linespace or reverse direction, the card-positioning stop and key-operating device on theV frame are preferably mounted on a plate which is shii'table on the platen frame between a position in which these devices are et'tective and another position in which they are out or' reach of their vcolnarating parts on the platen, and are ineective.

@ther features and advantages Will hereinafter appear.

In the .accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partlv broken, orn the platen and platen trame or anv Underwood typevvriting machine, having the present invention applied thereto.

F ig.` y2 is a view in right hand end elevation of the assembled apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the stop-carrying plate being broken away to show the parts behind the same, and the platen, With a card thereon, being shown in position for printing the tlrst line on the card.

big. 3 is a View similar to that of Fig. 9., except the platen is shown with the clamp in card-releasing and receiving position.

Fig. 4 is a view in right hand end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the stop-carrying plate being setback for ordinary Writing, so that the stops are inetfective.

The platen is of the hollow kind, having an inner shell 12 of Wood or other suitable material, and an outer body 13 of inaterial to serve as the printing surface. The platen has end plates le by means of which it is secured to and supported on an axle 15 journaled in the end plates 13 of the platen frame. At its ends the axle carries the usualfhand Wheels 17 and line-space ratchet Wheel 18. The latter is operated as in the Underwood machine by means-ot a pawl 19 'Ona-'slide 20 lon the end plate 16v o the platen trame. The slide isvactuated by a bellcrank finger-lever 21 pivoted'at 22 to the platen Ytrame; the arm^23 of the lever being adaptedtoengage and thronv back the slide when the linger piece 2st is moved to the right. A spring 25 attached to the slide and to the plate Ll returns the pawl after each line-space feed. T he usual paper guide 9.6 andtable 26@ are shown, as are also the usual feed rollers v27 `and 27a.

As is described in United States Letters Patent, No. 1,070,279, to John C. lVlcLaugh` lin, dated August 12, '1913, 'the platen. has Ialined'slots 28 Within -yvhi'ch a card-'holding lblade' or clamp 29 is set. 30'betweenthe slots prevents'rvvarping ofthe f'platen, such as'might occur ithere were one fcontinuousf'slot. "toclear the 'body "offtheplaten'at 30, and 'is cut1avvay-at"32,'at its'ends, Jfor the same 'SOlL The uncut portion The blade 29 is'fcut at 31 The'bla'de 'is shownasof a Width to move easily in. the slots, While nevertheless practically closing the slots to the admission of dust; and forming with the face of the platen a continuous printing surface when the blade is retracted (see Fig. 4:).

The blade is grooved at 33 to receive the card. It is adapted to be thrown out to Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 position to receive the card, and to be slightly retracted from F ig.

3 to Fig. 2 position to clamp the card between its lip or jaw 3a and the face of the platen. rlhe clamp except when in use is held in Figa position, withits outer edgeflush with the face of the platen, so that the platen may be used in the usual Way tor ordinary Writing. 1n this position the blade may bear at its inner edge against the axle of the platen to present an unyielding printing surface at its outer edge. For actuating the blade 29 there is, journaled in the platen end-plates 1e, a rock-shaft 35 having tast thereto a. pair of arms having hooked ends, which pass through s.ots 3T in the blade 29. Sutlicient looseness is allovved between the arms and the blade to allovvthe arms to be rocked by the shaft 35 Without binding of the blade. coil spring 38, attached at one end to one of the arms 36, and at its other to a pin (not shown) on the inner face o1 the adjacent plate lettends to turn the arms 36 and shaft 35 in a direction to retract the clamping blade into the platen, and to vhold the same normally in Fig. Ltposition.

l/Thenever desired, the blade may be thrown out, to receive, or to release a card, by means of a tinger piece or key 39, fast to the rock-shaft 35, beyond the end ot the platen. To facilitate the .operation of the finger piece 39, there .is tast to the adjacent end plate lll, another linger piece Li0; so that,lby seizing the inger pieces between the iingers and pressing the lingers tege. lier, 'the linger piece 39, and with it the shalt 35, is rocked against the action oit .the spring 38, to project the blade. This pressure is main.- tained until the card is inserted (see Fig.

'3), whereupon the fingers are reinwed, and

the spring 38 retracts the blade until the card is clamped as shown in Fig. E2. t any time the blade may be projected in like inanner to release thecard, and if no card is in place, then upon release of the. linger piece, the blade moves to Fig.Y 4r position.

rlhe printed card is ejected by movement of the platen in line-feed direction, aud, in order that the lrey 39 may operate auto matically to release the card when thel `platen -is turned to eject .the saine, there is provided a'clamp 'release pin L11 on a plate e2, secured to the right hand end-plate 16 of the 'platen traine. This pin projects into thepath of the keyl 39, that, ifathe `platenfbe turned forvvardsutliciently, the "key Willstrilte the'pin41 (see Figs. 1 and Cil 3), and by the latter will be rocked, as hereinbetore ecscribed, to project the blade to Fig. 3 position. lVhile the platen is in this position, the printed card is removed and a blank card substituted therefor. The platen is then turned backward to bring the new card to printing position. At the commencement of this backward movement ot thc platen, the key 39 withdraws from the pin il, allowing the spring 38 to lretract the blade to clamp the card.

lfor autoinatically deter-ring the movement oit' the platen to hring the newly inserted card to position for printing the first line thereon, tie plate 42, which carries the pin '-ll, also carries a stop pin 43. rlhe pin lf2 projects into the path ot the i'ixed linger piece Ll() (see FiO. 2), so that, npon requisite `backward movement ot' the platen, the tingerO strikes the pin to arrest the platen. lt is desirable that the position of the first line of printing be variable at the pleasure ot the operator, whether to adapt the apparatus to cards of different length, or for other reasons. Accordingly the pin i3 is threaded to be set into any one ot a number ot tapped holes all in the plate 42. The holes -l-l arearranged in the arc of a circle concentric with the axle ot the platen, and are si aced apart the distance between successive teeth on the line-space wheel 18. Thus, by positioning the pin e3 higher or lower in the pin-hole are, the position for "i' tirst line ot print is made lower or higher on the card.

Se that the machine may be readily adapted to use tor general correspondence and Jfor other work which involves complete rotation of the platen, the plate is shiftable to remove the pins thereon trom the path ot tli nngers and l0. Atlange 4:5 on the plate, cans ot which the plate is secured to the I en frame-piece lodi-as two slots lo and there.' il screw llS passes through the slot 46 and has a head, which, while preventing the plate from liitine, does not prevent sliding movement of the plate on the platen frame. l thumb screw i9 passes through the slot e7 into the platen Yframe, and the head thereof is adapted to be turned down against the plate to prevent both sliding and li'i'ting of the plate. 'lf he thumb screw 49 may however be loosened at will to allow the plate l2 to be slid from Fig. l position to Fig. et position, in which latter position, it will be noted, the pin all lies inside the path described by the oli'set ends et the fingers 39 and at), and the pin 3 lies entirely to the rear and out of reach et these lingers. .titer being shifted to Fig. position, plate l2 is again secured against accidental displacement by tightening the thumb screw al). The slots a6 and -lT are of the correct length to limit the throw ot' the plate in either directioi'i, and to determine the proper setting et the same in effective and ineffective positions.

lt will he observed that in the form of the invention shown in the drawings, the card is both inserted and removed at the front of the machine. ln inserting the card, it is passed forward and downward between the platen and the paper fingers 50 until its leading edge enters-the groove 33 in the clamp' blade, as shown in Fig. 3. rl`he parts are again in Fig. 3 position when a printed card is to be withdrawn, and the withdrawal is effected Iby merely drawing the card upward from its position between the platen and the paper ingers.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions ot the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described myA invention, l claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a` platen frame and a platen rota.- tahly mounted thereon, of acard-holding means, means for determining the position of the platen for the first line of print on the card, and means for releasing the card automatically on rotating the platen to a definite position, both said determining means and said releasing means being movable to positions where they are inoperative, so that said platen may be used for ordinary writing.

Q. in a typewriting machine, the combinati n with a platen traine and a platen rotatahl-y mounted thereon, orn al card-holding means, means for adjustably determining the position ot the platen for the iirst line of print for cards of different lengths, and means for releasing the vcard automatically i 1 itating the platen a definite position, both said determining means and said releasing means beinGv movable to'inoperative positions, so taat the platen may he used for ordinary writing.

8. rlhe combination with a revoluble platen, of a card-holding device connected to the platen, means controlled hy the rotation olf the platen tor automatically mov'- ing the card-holding device to card-releasing and receiving position and arresting the platen, and means for moving the cardholding device to said position independent-ly oit rotation of the platen.

The combination with a revoluble platen having a recess from the printing `face to the interior thereof, ot a card-holding device within said recess, means for iolding said device in position to prevent its protruding beyond the tace of the platen, and means for automatically and manually projecting said device beyond the 'face of the plat-en, and tor arresting the platenV when said device is projected automatically.

5. The combination with a revolnble platen having a recess from the printing tace to the interior ther-eet'g oit.' a card-holdsov ing device slidahle yin said recess, means automatically operable upon predetermined rotation of the platen in line-space direction to project said device outward in said recess and arrest the platen, and means automatically operable on reverse rotation of the platen for retracting said device into said recess.

6. In a typeivriting machine, a platen frame, a revoluble platen thereon, means for holding a card to the platen with the leading edge ot the card in predetermined position with respect to the position on the platen. at which the iirst line of printing is to he made, means for moving the platen `with the card te bring the card to position tor the printing of the first line thereon, and a stop on the platen-frame 'for automatically arresting the platen and card when such movement has been eected, said stop adjustable on the platen-trame into position to render it inoperative.

T. ln a typeivriting machine, a platen traine, a revoluble platen thereon, means for holding a card to the platen With the leading edge of the card in predetermined position with respect to the position on the platen at which the first line of printing is to be made, means for moving the platen with the card to bring the card to position for the printing of the first line thereon, a stop on the platen frame for automatically arresting the platen and card when such movement has been effected, said stop slidably mounted on the platen-frame for movement into and out of operative position, and means to lock the stop in either position.

8. In a typewriting machine, a platen frame, a revoluble platen thereon, means for holding a card to the platen With the leading edge ot the card in predetermined position with respect to the position on the platen at which the first line of printing is to be made, means -for moving the platen with the card to bring the card to position y*for the printing of the first line thereon, means lfor automatically arresting the platen and card when such movement has been effected, and means for adjusting said arresting means to advance or retard the action of' the same, so that the position of the first line of printing on the card may be varied vat Will.

9. In a typewriting machine, a platen frame, a revoluble platen thereon, means for holding a card to the platen with the leading edge of the card in predetermined position with respect to the position on the platen at which the first line of printing is to beimade, means for moving the platen .with the card to bring thev card to position fortheprinting vof theirst linethereon, and a: stop on the plateniirame for automatically varresting the platen and card when such .movement hasbeen effected, said stop'being shiftable from one to another of a number of retaining recesses therefor in the platen frame, so that the position of the first line of printing on the card may be varied at Will.

l0. In a typeivriting machine, a platen frame, a revoluhle platen thereon, means for holding a card to the platen With the leading edge of the card in predetermined position with respect to the position on the platen at which the first line of printing is to be made, means for moving the platen With the card to bring the card to position for the printing of the first line thereon, and a stop on the platen-frame yfor automatically arresting the platen and card when auch movement has been eected, said stop being shiftable from one to another of a number of retaining recesses therefor arranged on the platen frame in the arc of a circle concentric with the axis of the platen, so that the position of the first line otl printing on the card may be varied at Will.

ll. In a typewriting machine, a platen trame, a revoluble platen thereonmeans for holding a card to the platen With the leading` edge or the card in predetermined position with respect to the position on the platen at ivhich'the first line of printing is to be made, means for moving the platen with the card to bring 'the card to position Jfor printing of the first line thereon, means for automatically arresting the platen and card When such movement has been effected, means for effecting a line-feed of the platen with the card. means for automatically releasing the card from the holder after a predetermined movement thereof in line-feed direction, an tl means for manually effecting such release at any time.

l2. ln a typeiviiting machine, a platen iframe, a revoluble platen thereon, a cardclamp connected to the platen in normally inoperative position, a key on the platen for throwing open the clamp, a pin adapted to be set in the path of the key to engage and operate the key when rotation of the platen in line-space direction brings the key to the pin, a stop for limiting the vmovement of the Vplaten in counter line-space direction to determine theposition of the first line ofprint on the card, a plate on which said pin and stop are. carried, and means for shifting the plate on the platen frame to a position thereon in which said pin and stop are ineffective.

18. in a ypeivriting machine, a platen frame, a revoluble platen thereon, a cardclamp connected to the yplaten in normally inoperativeposition, a keyon the platen for throvvingopen theclamp, a pin adapted to ce set in the :path ofthe key to engage and operate theilley when rotationof the platen inline-space direction brings vthe key to the pin, a4 stop Vfoi-limiting theY movement of the platen in kcounter line-space direction `tof determine the position of the first line of print on the card, and means for rendering said pin and stop effective or ineffective at will.

1l. ln a typewritiinamachine, a platen frame, a revoluble platen thereon, a cardclamp seated ina recess in the face of the platen in normally inoperative position, a key on the platen for throwing open the clamp, a pin adapted to be set in the path of the key vto engage and operate the key when rotation of the platen in line-space direction brings the key to the pin, a stop for limiting the movement of the platen in counter linespace direction to determine the position of the firstline of print on the card, and means for rendering said pin and stop edective or inedective at will.

15. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of a card-holding device thereon, a stop to arrest the platen when rotated in one direction, with the cardholding device in card-receiving position, means operable automatically as the platen is rotated in the opposite direction away from said stop position to move said cardholding device from said card-receiving position to a position to clamp the card to the platen, and a stop to arrest the platen when it has been rotated a predetermined distance from said card-receiving position, said last-mentioned stop adjustable to vary the position at which the platen is arrested thereby.

16. ln a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of stops to limit the backward and forward rotation of the platen, a card-holding device mounted on the platen and moved to card-receiving position by the forward stop, and means to automatically actuate said device to clamp the card to the platen as the latter is rotated backwardly from the forward stop position, one of said stops being adjustable to vary the angle through which the platen may be rotated between the stops.

17. ln a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of stops to limit the backward and forward rotation of the platen, a card-holding device mounted on the platen and moved to card-i'eceiving position by the forward stop, means to automatically actuate said device to clamp the card to the platen as the latter is rotated backwardly from the forward stop position, a support on which said stops are mounted, said support shiftable to move the stops out of position to arrest the platen, whereby an unlimited rotation may be imparted to the platen, and means for locking said support in either position.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of stops to limit 'the backward and forward rotation of the the platen and moved to card-receiving position by the forward stop, means to automatically actuate said device to clamp the card to theplaten as the latter is rotated backwardly from the forward stop position, a support on which said stops are mounted, said supportv shiftable to move the stops out of position to arrest tho platen, whereby an unlimited -rotation may be impartedjto the platen, and means for locking said support in either position, one of said stops adjustable on its support to vary the arc through which the platen may be rotated between said stops.'

19. In a typewriting machine, the combi'- nation with a rotary platen, of a cardholding clamp carried by the platen and eXtending lengthwise thereof, said clamp slidable into and out of the body of the platen, a stop to arrest the forward rotation of the platen and operable to hold said clamp projected into position to receive the edge of a card placed thereon, means operable automatically as the platen is rotated backwardly from said stop position to move said clamp inwardly to grip the card, a second stop to arrest the platen when it has been rotated backwardly from said first stop position to bring the card into position to receive the first line of writing, a support on which said stops are mounted, said support slidably mounted on the platen-frame for moving the stops into and out of position to arrest the platen, and a clamping screw to clamp said support to the platen frame in either position.

20. 1n a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of a card-holding clamp carried by the platen and extending lengthwise thereof, said clamp shiftable radially of the platen inward from a projected position for receiving the edge of a card, to a card-clamping position, a stop to arrest the platen when it has been rotated forwardly into position to bring said clamp to the front of the platen, said stop operable to hold the clamp in said card-receiving position, means to automatically shift the clamp to said clamping position as the platen is rotated backwardly from said stop position, a stop to arrest the backward rotation of the platen when the card has been carried to a position to receive the first line of writing, and means whereby said stops may be rendered ineffective so that the platen may have unlimited rotation, said clamp being movable inwardly to a position in which its outer surface is flush with the surface of the platen.

21. In a front-strike typewriting ma chine, the combination with a rotary platen having a recess lengthwise thereof and eX- tending from the printing face to the inte rior of the platen, of a card-.holding and clamping bar projecting outwardly through said recess, a rock shaft mounted in the platen and having a connection with said bar for shifting the latter inwardly from a card-receiif'ing` position to a card-clamping position, a linger-'piece on Said rock shaft for manually operating the clamping bar. a stop on the platen-frame in the pathfof said finger-piece to automatically project said bar and to arrest theplaten when the latter is rotated forwardly to a predetermined poL sition, and a spring to automatically retract said bar to card-clamping position as the platen is rotated rearwardly from said stop position. Y v

Q2. In a typewriting machine', the combination With a platen and a platen axle, ofV a cardlreceiying blade movable in saidl platen, Said blade' in normal position having its enter end iiislr with' the tace of' the platen, and being of a Widthl equal tothe distance from the ace'of the platen' to the axle of the platen, sothat` when said blade is in normal position, the inner edge thereof bears against the' platen axle', so' that anv unyield= ing printing surface is' presented on the outer edge thereof.

GOR-NELI-USB. CORCORAN. Witnesses:

W. O; ST'P'HAIL, Jeun@ DUC'KSTIN'E.

Copies of thisfpatent may be' obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. 'Washin'gtm'i',y Di C. 

